City Churches, Dundee - Ref: WC1382
Dundee has had a church on this site since the 12th century. The first church, dedicated to St Mary, was built by David, Earl of Huntingdon. He was the brother of King William the Lion of Scotland. This church was destroyed by Edward Ist, of England.
Rebuilt in the 15th century, when the Old Steeple dates from, the steeple and churches have had a long and often turbulent history. More recently the City Churches were destroyed in a fire in 1841. The churches were rebuilt. The Old Steeple escaped the flames and is today one of Scotland's tallest surviving church towers.
Alexander Wilson who took this photograph, was a supervisor in a Dundee jute mill for over 20 years. He bequeathed much of his collection and £50, to cover the costs involved, to the Free Library Committee of Dundee in 1923.